Actionable Guidance for Deploying Superior Intelligent Building and Data Center Networks

Transcription

1 Actionable Guidance for Deploying Superior Intelligent Building and Data Center Networks 8 Advanced Network Infrastructure2015

2 Zone Cabling for Cost Savings Killer App Alert! IEEE ac 5 GHz Wireless Update and Structured Cabling Implications Advantages of Using Siemon Shielded Cabling Systems To Power Remote Network Devices TABLE OF CONTENTS Data Center Storage Evolution: An Update on Storage Network Technologies including DAS, NAS, and SAN 21 The Need for Low-Loss Multifiber Connectivity In Today s Data Center 29 Considerations for choosing top-of-rack in today s fat-tree switch fabric configurations 41 Tech Brief: SFP+ Cables and Encryption Cost-Effective Alternatives Overcome Vendor Locking 49 Getting Smart, Getting Rugged Extending LANs into Harsher Environments 53 Case Study: L.A. Dodgers hit a home run with cabling upgrade from Siemon 61

3 Zone Cabling for Cost Savings Workspaces are becoming increasingly social and flexible and are constantly being re-arranged and updated. To determine how structured cabling can best support this evolving trend, Siemon studied the cost and environmental impact of various structured cabling designs. The results are in: zone cabling deployments provide the optimum balance of performance, flexibility, and efficient use of cabling materials in today s enterprise environments. 1

4 ZONE TOPOLOGIES What is Zone Cabling? A zone cabling design (or topology) begins with horizontal cables run from patch panels in the telecommunications room (TR) to connections within a zone enclosure (ZE, sometimes referred to as a zone box), which can be mounted under a raised floor, in the ceiling, or on the wall. Cables are then run from the outlets or connecting blocks in the zone enclosure to telecommunications outlets in the work area (WA), equipment outlets serving BAS devices, or directly to BAS devices. Patch cords are used to connect voice and data equipment to telecommunications outlets and to connect BAS equipment to equipment outlets. Note that the connections in the zone enclosure are made using modular outlets and/or punch down blocks - there is no active equipment in the zone enclosure. When deploying a zone cabling solution, Siemon recommends positioning zone enclosures in the most densely populated areas of the floor space. Figure 1 shows an example of a zone cabling layout. Figure 1: Example zone cabling layout serving voice, data, and BAS applications Enabling flexible client work spaces that efficiently accommodate moves, adds, and changes (MACs) is a signature element of a zone cabling design. Through analyzing customers office reconfiguration needs, Siemon observed that zone cabling deployments have the potential to provide significant cost savings benefits compared to traditional home run work area to TR cabling. This is because MACs performed on traditional home run topologies require more cabling materials and more installation time to implement. As an example, Figure 2 shows a traditional home run cabling link and a zone cabling link; both of which are supporting a work area outlet located 200 feet away from the TR. The zone enclosure is pre-cabled from the TR with spare ports available to support new services and is located 50 feet from the work area outlet. If a second cable needs to be deployed, 200 feet of new cable needs to be pulled from the TR with a traditional design, while only 50 feet needs to be pulled when using a zone design. Significantly reduced installation times and minimized client disruption are additional benefits associated with pulling 75% less cable, which all contributes to improved return-on-investment (ROI) when using zone cabling designs. 2

5 ZONE TOPOLOGIES Figure 2: Example 200 foot traditional and zone cabling links depicting new cabling length required to support the addition of a new service Zone Cabling Designs Zone cabling systems are easily implemented using a variety of Siemon components, which encompass all categories of cabling and connectivity. The diagrams in Figures 3a, 3b, and 3c depict example zone and traditional cabling channel topologies for a sampling of media types. For demonstration purposes, the connection within the zone enclosure, but not the zone enclosure itself, is shown. The components shown in these figures, with the addition of cable managers (Siemon RS3- RWM-2) and a plenum rated ceiling zone enclosure (Chatsworth A1024-LP), formed the material list used in Siemon s MAC cost impact study discussed later in this paper. Figure 3a depicts Siemon s recommended category 5e and 6 UTP zone cabling topology. Note that Siemon s category 5e or category 6 connecting block system is the recommended connection in the zone enclosure. This solution eliminates the need to stock factory pre-terminated and tested interconnect cords for connections in the zone enclosure and simplifies cable management by eliminating cable slack. The traditional category 5e and 6 UTP cabling topology is shown for comparison purposes and for use as a reference in the cost comparison analysis. Figure 3a: Siemon s recommended category 5e and 6 UTP zone cabling topology and reference traditional topology 3

6 ZONE TOPOLOGIES Figure 3b depicts typical category 6A UTP zone and traditional cabling topologies. These figures are provided for reference and are used in the cost comparison analysis; however, Siemon does not recommend category 6A UTP media for use in zone cabling deployments for both performance and flexibility reasons. UTP cabling may be susceptible to excessive alien crosstalk under certain installation conditions and is not the optimum media for support of remote powering applications carrying 30W and higher power loads. In addition, because category 6A UTP zone deployments rely on modular connections within the zone enclosure, factory pre-terminated and tested interconnect cords for connections must be on hand in order to quickly facilitate MAC requests. Siemon recommends cost effective shielded zone cabling solutions to overcome these concerns. Figure 3b: Reference category 6A UTP zone cabling topology and traditional topology Figure 3c depicts Siemon s recommended category 6A zone topology, which is comprised of shielded cables and components. Note that Siemon s TERA connector is used in the zone enclosure. Because this shielded modular connector is field-terminatable, it eliminates the need to stock factory pre-terminated and tested interconnect cords and simplifies cable management by eliminating cable slack in the zone enclosure. The traditional category 6A shielded cabling topology is shown for comparison purposes and for use as a reference in the cost comparison analysis. Figure 3c: Siemon s recommended category 6A zone cabling topology and reference traditional topology constructed from shielded components 4

7 Quantifying the Cost Savings Siemon designed traditional and zone cabling layouts for a typical one-floor commercial building space and analyzed the capital and operating costs associated with each design. For the purposes of this analysis, the traditional cabling topology scenario provided two outlets to 36 work areas for a total of 72 cables or drops and the zone topology scenario provided two outlets at 36 work areas and 72 connection points in a zone enclosure, plus an additional 24 cables pulled to the zone enclosure to accommodate future expansion. $55,000 $50,000 $45,000 $40,000 $35,000 $30,000 $25,000 $20,000 $15,000 $10,000 ZONE TOPOLOGIES To establish a baseline, Siemon first calculated the material and installation costs for the category 5e UTP, category 6 UTP, category $5,000 $0 6A UTP, category 6A shielded, and category 7A shielded Category 5e Category 6 Category 6A UTP Category 6A Shielded Category 7 A Shielded traditional (72 drops) and zone (96 drops to the zone enclosure and 72 drops to the work area) cabling designs and plotted the results shown in Figure 4. Since zone cabling is most commonly Traditional Cabling - 72 WA drops Zone Cabling - 72 WA/96 ZE drops deployed in the ceiling where air handling spaces are prevalent, Figure 4: Installation and materials costs (CAPEX) for traditional media costs were derived using plenum rated materials where and zone cabling scenarios applicable. Not surprisingly, the total cost for the zone cabling design is higher than for the traditional design because there is additional connectivity in each channel and some pre-cabling between the TR and zone enclosure is included for future connections. This baseline also clearly demonstrates that Siemon s recommended shielded category 6A zone cabling design provides the added benefits of performance and termination flexibility at the zone enclosure at virtually no additional cost over a category 6A UTP zone cabling design. Although additional capital expenditure ( CAPEX ) is required when zone cabling is initially deployed, a more accurate assessment of the total comparative costs of these solutions must include operating expense ( OPEX ). MAC work performed on a cabling plant falls into the category of OPEX and it is in this area that the real cost benefits of a zone cabling solution become apparent. For this analysis, a cabling add represents the cost to pull one new cable and a cabling move is the cost to pull one new cable and remove the abandoned cable. The table in Figure 5 depicts Siemon s calculated cost savings per move or add for all of the categories of cabling evaluated and the number of MACs that need to be performed for the combined CAPEX and OPEX cost associated with the traditional cabling design to equal that of the zone cabling design. This tipping point is often referred to as the time when Return- On-Investment ( ROI ) is achieved for a zone cabling design. Category/Topology $ Saved $ Saved MAC s per move per add Until ROI Enterprise clients information technology needs are dynamic Any Traditional Topology $0 $0 NO ROI and often require rapid floor space reconfiguration. Due to Zone Category 5e $144 $ Moves & 17 Adds Zone Category 6 $163 $ Moves & 17 Adds their enhanced ability to support MACs, building owners can Zone Category 6A UTP $265 $ Moves & 20 Adds realize a significant ROI benefit with their zone cabling systems within two to five years compared to traditional cabling Zone Category 6A Shielded $282 $ Moves & 20 Adds Zone Category 7 A Shielded $409 $ Moves & 17 Adds systems. According to the cost analysis, either 14 moves and Figure 5: Cost of work area MACs and ROI for traditional and 17 adds or 16 moves and 20 adds (depending upon cabling zone cabling designs type) will realize a full ROI of the additional CAPEX for a zone cabling solution and each MAC above the ROI threshold yields additional OPEX benefits over a traditional cabling design. Depending on the number of MACs performed, a zone cabling design can pay for itself quickly. Figure 6 shows that the combined CAPEX and OPEX costs for all category zone cabling designs are always lower than for traditional cabling designs after 16 moves and 20 adds are performed and there is still flexibility to add additional services to the zone cabling design! 5

8 ZONE TOPOLOGIES Zone Cabling ROI The results of this analysis may be extrapolated and applied to small, medium, and large zone cabling installations. While obviously dependent upon the exact number of moves, adds, and changes (MACs) performed per year, typical zone cabling plants of any size planned with 25% spare port availability not only significantly reduce client disruption,but allow the building owner to recoup the cost of the extra port capacity within a two to five year span or after reaching the ROI threshold (i.e. either 14 moves and 17 adds or 16 moves and 20 adds depending upon cabling type) in the example provided in this paper. Additional Benefits $60,000 $55,000 $50,000 $45,000 $40,000 $35,000 $30,000 $25,000 $20,000 $15,000 In addition to the obvious cost benefits, deployment of zone cabling provides the following additional benefits: $10,000 $5,000 Factory pre-terminated and tested trunking cables may be used for expedited installation and reduced labor cost. $0 Category 5e Category 6 Category 6A UTP Category 6A Shielded Category 7 A Shielded Spare ports in the zone enclosure allow for the rapid addition of new devices and facilitate moves and changes of existing services. Pathways are more efficiently utilized throughout the building space. Traditional Cabling - 92 WA drops Zone Cabling - 92 WA/96 ZE drops Figure 6: Combined CAPEX and OPEX costs for traditional and zone cabling scenarios after 16 moves and 20 adds Deployment of the structured cabling system is faster and less disruptive. New IP devices, such as WAPs, BAS devices, voice/data security devices, audio/video devices, digital signage, etc. are easily integrated into the existing structured cabling system via connections made at the zone enclosure. Going Green? Zone cabling systems are ideal for use in smart and green building designs. Factory pre-terminated trunking cables can be installed for a reduction in labor costs and on-site waste and the centralized connection location within the zone enclosures allow for more efficient pathway routing throughout the building. Integrating Siemon s end-to-end category 7 A /class F A TERA cabling system into a zone topology allows customers to further take advantage of cable sharing strategies, which maximizes the potential to qualify for LEED credits as issued by the United States Green Building Council (USGBC). Cable sharing supports multiple low-speed, low pair count applications operating over one 4-pair cabling system, which results in more efficient cable and pathway utilization. For example, a standard IP security door deployment configuration typically consists of two category 5e cables (one for an IP camera and the other for access control) installed in a traditional home run topology. By switching to a TERA category 7 A /class F A TERA cabling system configured in zone topology, a single cable can serve both devices, thereby reducing cabling and pathway materials. Although the CAPEX associated with implementing TERA category 7 A /class F A TERA cabling may be slightly higher, the benefits realized by obtaining LEED accreditation can justify this additional cost. 6

9 Executive Summary: Today s enterprise workspaces are increasingly more social and flexible and are subject to frequent reconfiguration and updating. Zone cabling enables flexible client work spaces that can accommodate moves, adds, and changes more quickly and with less disruption than traditional cabling. Zone cabling supports more efficient utilization of pathways and materials and is ideal for today s smarter green building designs. Siemon recommends category 6A shielded cabling in zone cabling designs for maximum performance. ZONE TOPOLOGIES Shielded category 6A zone cabling designs provide the added benefits of performance, superior support of remote powering applications, and termination flexibility at the zone enclosure at virtually no additional cost compared to category 6A UTP designs. Zone cabling plants of any size planned with 25% spare port availability not only significantly reduce client disruption, but typically allow the building owner to recoup the cost of the extra port capacity within a two to five year span or after reaching the ROI threshold. 7

10 ZONE TOPOLOGIES Siemon is a member of the U.S. Green Building Council Worldwide Headquarters North America Watertown, CT USA Phone (1) US Phone (1) Regional Headquarters EMEA Europe/Middle East/Africa Surrey, England Phone (44 ) Regional Headquarters Asia/Pacific Shanghai, P.R. China Phone (86) Regional Headquarters Latin America Bogota, Colombia Phone (571) Siemon WP_Zone_Cble Rev. B 11/14 (US) 8

11 Killer App Alert! IEEE ac 5 GHz Wireless Update and Structured Cabling Implications Killer app alert! The newly published IEEE ac Very High Throughput wireless LAN standard 1 has far reaching implications with respect to cabling infrastructure design. Users can expect their current wireless speeds to appreciably increase by switching to ac gear with 1.3 Gb/s data rate capability that is available today. And, 256-QAM modulation, 160 MHz channel bandwidth, and a maximum of eight spatial streams can theoretically deliver 6.93 Gb/s in the future! For the first time, the specification of high performance cabling supporting access layer switches and uplink connections is critical to achieving multi-gigabit throughput and fully supporting the capacity of next generation wireless access points. 9

12 WI-FI ac Key cabling design strategies to ensure that the wired network is ready to support ac wireless LANs addressed in this paper include: Specifying category 6A or higher performing horizontal cabling in combination with link aggregation to ensure immediate support of the 1.3 Gb/s theoretically achievable data rate deliverable by ac 3-stream wireless access points (WAPs) and routers available today Installing a minimum of 10 Gb/s capable balanced twistedpair copper or multimode optical fiber backbone to support increased ac uplink capacity Utilizing a grid-based zone cabling architecture to accommodate additional WAP deployments, allow for rapid reconfiguration of coverage areas, and provide redundant and future-proof connections Using solid conductor cords, which exhibit better thermal stability and lower insertion loss than stranded conductor cords, for equipment connections in the ceiling or in plenum spaces where higher temperatures are likely to be encountered Recognizing that deploying Type 2 PoE to remotely power ac wireless access points can cause heat to build up in cable bundles Siemon s shielded class EA/category 6A and class FA/ category 7A cabling systems inherently exhibit superior heat dissipation and are qualified for mechanical reliability up to 75 C (167 F), which enables support of the Type 2 PoE application over the entire operating temperature range of -20 C to 60 C (-4 F to 140 F) Shielded systems are more thermally stable and support longer channel lengths (i.e. less length de-rating is required at elevated temperatures to satisfy TIA and ISO/IEC insertion loss requirements) when deployed in high temperature environments A larger number of shielded cables may be bundled without concern for excessive heat build-up within the bundle Specifying IEC compliant connecting hardware ensures that contact seating surfaces are not damaged when plugs and jacks are unmated under ac remote powering current loads What s in a name? The latest ac wireless LAN technology goes by many names, including: 5 GHz Wi-Fi for the transmit frequency Gigabit Wi-Fi for the short range data rate of today s three spatial stream implementation 5G Wi-Fi for 5th generation (i.e a, b, g, n, and ac) Very High Throughput Wi-Fi from the title of the application standard No matter what you call it, the fact is that the increasing presence and capacity of mobile and handheld devices, the evolution of information content from text to streaming video and multimedia, combined with limits on cellular data plans that encourage users to off-load to Wi-Fi are all driving the need for faster Wi-Fi networks. As Wi-Fi becomes the access media of choice, faster wireless LAN equipment will play an important role in minimizing bottlenecks and congestion, increasing capacity, and reducing latency but only if the cabling and equipment connections can support the additional bandwidth required. The Wi-Fi Alliance certified the first wave of production-ready ac hardware in June 2013 and adoption of ac is anticipated to occur more rapidly than any of its predecessors. Today, ac routers, gateways, and adapters are widely available to support a range of ac-ready laptops, tablets, and smart phones. In fact, sales of ac devices are predicted to cross the 1 billion mark (to total 40% of the entire Wi-Fi enabled device market) by the end of 2015! 2 10

13 A Technology Evolution The enhanced throughput of ac devices is facilitated by an evolution of existing and proven n 3 Wi-Fi communication algorithms. Like n, ac wireless transmission utilizes the techniques of beamforming to concentrate signals and transmitting over multiple send and receive antennas to improve communication and minimize interference (often referred to as multiple input, multiple output or MIMO). The signal associated with one transmit and one receive antenna is called a spatial stream and the ability to support multiple spatial streams is a feature of both ac and n. Enhanced modulation, wider channel spectrum, and twice as many spatial streams are the three key technology enablers that support faster ac transmission rates while ensuring backward compatibility with older Wi-Fi technology. Quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) is an analog and digital modulation scheme that is used extensively for digital telecommunications systems. Using this scheme, a four quadrant arrangement or constellation of symbol points is established with each point representing a short string of bits (e.g. 0 s or 1 s). Sinusoidal carrier waves that are phase shifted by 90 are modulated using amplitude-shift keying (ASK) digital modulation or amplitude modulation (AM) analog modulation schemes and are used to transmit the constellation symbols. Figure 1 depicts a rudimentary example of a 16-QAM constellation for demonstration purposes. Note that there are four points in each quadrant of the 16-QAM constellation and each point equates to four information bits, ranging from 0000 to The 64-QAM scheme utilized by n equipment carries 6 bits of information per constellation point and the 256-QAM scheme utilized by ac equipment carries an amazing 8 bits of information per constellation point! WI-FI ac Amplitude Phase Data Phase % 50% 75% I 25% % % % % % % % % % % % % % % % Figure 1: Example 16-QAM Constellation and Correlating Symbol Bit Information 11

14 WI-FI ac ac devices will transmit exclusively in the less crowded 5 GHz spectrum. This spectrum supports higher transmission rates because of more available non-overlapping radio channels. It is considered cleaner because there are fewer devices operating in the spectrum and less potential for interference. One disadvantage to operating in this spectrum is that 5 GHz signals have a shorter transmission range and have more difficulty penetrating building materials than 2.4 GHz signals. Designing a flexible cabling infrastructure that can accommodate the addition of future WAPs and enable rapid reconfiguration of coverage areas can save headaches later. Figure 2 depicts a recommended zone cabling approach utilizing enclosures that house consolidation points (CPs) with spare port capacity to facilitate connections to equipment outlets (EOs) that are positioned in a grid pattern. In addition, because most WAPs are located in the ceiling or in plenum spaces where higher temperatures are likely to be encountered, the use of solid conductor cords, which exhibit better thermal stability and lower insertion loss than stranded conductor cords 4, are recommended for all equipment connections in high temperature environments. Refer to ISO/IEC and TIA TSB-162-A 6 for additional design and installation guidelines describing a grid-based cabling approach that maximizes WAP placement and reconfiguration flexibility. The Implications of Speed In n and ac, channels that are 20 MHz wide are aggregated to create the pipe or highway for wireless transmission ac technology allows radio transmission over either four or eight bonded 20 MHz channels supporting maximum throughput of 433 Mb/s and 866 Mb/s, respectively. In addition, ac can accommodate up to eight antennas and their associated spatial streams for an unprecedented maximum theoretical data speed of 6.93 Gb/s! Note that, unlike full duplex balanced twisted-pair BASE-T type Ethernet transmission where throughput is fixed in both the transmit and receive orientations, the speed specified for wireless applications represents the sum of upstream and downstream traffic combined. Figure 3 summarizes the key capability differences between n and ac technology. Figure 2: Example Grid-Based WAP Zone Cabling Deployment Design 12

15 802.11n ac Transmit Frequency 2.4 or 5 GHz 5 GHz only Channel Bandwidth 20 or 40 MHz 80 or 160 MHz Modulation 64-QAM 256-QAM Maximum Number of Spatial Streams Theoretical Maximum Data Rate per Stream Theoretical Maximum Data Rate Mb/s 866 Mb/s 576 Mb/s 6.93 Gb/s WI-FI ac Figure 3: n versus ac Technology Comparison Channel Bandwidth Number of Spatial Streams Maximum Speed Target Device or Application First Wave Products Available Now 80 MHz Mb/s Dual-band smart phone, nextvoip handset, or tablet 80 MHz Gb/s High-end laptop Second Wave Products Available Mid MHz Mb/s Netbook/low-end laptop 160 MHz Gb/s High-end laptop Possible Future Implementations 160 MHz Gb/s Outdoor or low coverage areas 160 MHz Gb/s Specialized Figure 4: Example ac Implementation Configurations Because of the variables of channel bandwidth and number of spatial streams, ac deployments are highly configurable. In general, the lower end of the throughput range will be targeted for small handheld devices with limited battery capacity such as smart phones, the middle of the throughput range will be targeted towards laptops, and the highest end of the throughput range will be targeted at specialized and outdoor applications where there is less device density compared with indoors. Figure 4 provides examples of currently available first wave and second wave (available mid 2015) ac implementation configurations with target devices indicated. Possible future ac implementations are also shown, but these implementations may not be available for years, if at all. While this may seem surprising, consider that there are no 4-stream implementations of n even though the technology is standardized. Wireless LAN provider Aruba Networks suggests that manufacturers will leapfrog 4-stream n products in favor of ac products. The bottom line is that end-users can reasonably expect their current wireless speeds to at least double by switching to ac gear that is available today and more than quadruple when second wave products become available. 13

16 WI-FI ac Data Rate in Mb/s ac Coverage 11ac (3-antenna) 11n (1-antenna) 11n (3-antenna) Room 2 Rooms 3 Rooms 4+ Rooms Distance in Meters Figure 5: Data Rate versus Coverage Radius (provided courtesy of Broadcom) When comparing wireless capabilities, it s important to keep in mind that the maximum realizable data rate is impacted by the number of wireless users, protocol overhead, and the spatial distribution of end-user devices from the access point. The image in figure 5 illustrates how data rate decreases as distance from the WAP transmitter increases for a commonly available ac 3-stream 80 MHz transmitter and n 1- and 3-stream transmitters. The chart shows that 1.3 Gb/s data rates are theoretically achievable within a coverage radius of 5m (16.4 ft) from an ac 3-stream WAP. Transfer data collected for first generation wireless products confirms that the ac 3-stream data rate at relatively close range to a single device is roughly on par with that achievable with a wired Gigabit Ethernet (1000BASE-T) link. In some cases, the ac wireless data transfer rate was fast enough to saturate the 1000BASE-T copper balanced twisted-pair cabling link provided between the ac router and the server! 7 Greater than 1 Gb/s wireless data rate capability has serious implications related to wired media selection for router to server and other uplink connections. For example, two 1000BASE-T connections may be required to support a single ac WAP (this is often referred to as link aggregation) if 10GBASE- T uplink capacity is not supported by existing equipment (refer to figure 2, which depicts two horizontal link connections to each equipment outlet). As ac equipment matures to support 2.6 Gb/s and even higher data rates, 10 Gb/s uplink capacity will become even more critical. Moreover, access layer switches supporting ac deployments must have a minimum of 10 Gb/s uplink capacity to the core of the network in order to sufficiently accommodate multiple WAPs. Power Consumption Although ac radio chips are more efficient than prior generation wireless chips, they are doing significantly more complex signal processing and the amount of power required to energize ac devices is higher than for any previous implementation. In fact, ac WAP s are unable to 14

17 work within the 13-watt budget of Type 1 Power over Ethernet (PoE) and must be supported by either a direct DC power adapter or 30-watt Type 2 PoE remote power. (Note that some ac products may be able to draw power from two Type 1 PoE connections, but this is an impractical and fairly uncommon implementation.) While safe for humans, Type 2 PoE remote power delivery, at an applied current of 600mA per pair, can produce up to 10 C (22 F) temperature rise in cable bundles 8 and create electrical arcing that can damage connector contacts. Heat rise within bundles has the potential to cause bit errors because insertion loss is directly proportional to temperature. In extreme environments, temperature rise and contact arcing can cause irreversible damage to cable and connectors. Fortunately, the proper selection of network cabling, as described next, can eliminate these risks. The Wired Infrastructure Existing wireless access devices, client devices and the back end network and cabling infrastructure may need to be upgraded in order to fully support ac and Type 2 power delivery. In addition, ac s 5 GHz transmission band requires relatively dense WAP coverage areas and existing n grid placement layouts may not be sufficient. For both new and existing wireless deployments, now is the time to seriously consider the wired cabling uplink infrastructure. Under all circumstances, the equipment outlets, patch panels, and other connecting hardware used in the channel should comply with IEC to ensure that critical contact seating surfaces are not damaged when plugs and jacks are unmated under ac remote powering current loads. In addition, the use of Siemon shielded class EA/category 6A and class FA/category 7A cabling systems, which support longer channel lengths (i.e. less length de-rating is required at elevated temperatures to satisfy TIA and ISO/IEC insertion loss requirements) and are qualified for mechanical reliability up to 75 C (167 F), are recommended for Type 2 PoE remote powering applications in locations having an ambient temperature greater than 20 C (68 F). Furthermore, larger numbers of shielded cables may be bundled without concern for excessive heat build-up within the bundle. Designing a cabling infrastructure to robustly support ac deployment requires consideration of the switch, server, and device connection speeds commonly available today as well as strategies to support redundancy, equipment upgrades, and future wireless technologies. A grid-based category 6A zone cabling approach using consolidation points housed in zone enclosures is an ideal way to provide sufficient spare port density to support 1000BASE-T link aggregation to each ac WAP as necessary, while also allowing for more efficient port utilization when 10GBASE-T equipment connections become available. Zone cabling is highly flexible and enables rapid reconfiguration of coverage areas and conveniently provides additional capacity to accommodate next generation technology, which may require 10GBASE-T link aggregation. Additional WAPs can be easily incorporated into the wireless network to enhance coverage with minimal disruption when spare connection points in a zone cabling system are available. This architecture is especially suited for deployment in financial, medical, and other critical data-intensive environments because redundant 10GBASE-T data and backup power connections provided to each WAP can safeguard against outages. Siemon recommends that each zone enclosure support a coverage radius of 13m (42.7 ft) with 24 port pre-cabled consolidation points available to facilitate plug and play device connectivity. For planning purposes, an initial spare port capacity of 50% (i.e. 12 ports unallocated) is recommended. Spare port availability may need to be increased and/or coverage radius decreased if the zone enclosure is also providing service to building automation system (BAS) devices and telecommunications outlets (TOs). Backbone cabling should be a minimum design of 10 Gb/s capable balanced twistedpair copper or multimode optical fiber media to support ac uplink capacity. Conclusion: A killer app forces consumers to stop and question legacy views about broadly deployed operating platforms or systems. IEEE ac is a dual-edged killer app in that it requires both 10GBASE-T and Type 2 remote powering for optimum performance swiftly making the wait-and-see stance concerning 10GBASE-T adoption in support of LAN applications a position of the past. A properly designed and deployed zone cabling architecture utilizing thermally stable shielded category 6A or higher cabling products engineered to withstand the maximum TIA and ISO/IEC ambient temperature of 60 C (140 F) plus the associated heat rise generated by 600mA Type 2 PoE current loads will ensure that your cabling infrastructure is a killer app enabler. WI-FI ac 15

18 WI-FI ac Footnotes: 1 IEEE Std ac -2013, IEEE Standard for Information technology Telecommunications and information exchange between systems Local and metropolitan area networks Specific requirements Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications Amendment 4: Enhancements for Very High Throughput for Operation in Bands below 6 GHz, December 11, Strategy Analytics' Connected Home Devices (CHD) service report, "Embedded WLAN (Wi-Fi) CE Devices: Global Market Forecast" 3 IEEE Std n -2009, IEEE Standard for Information technology Local and metropolitan area networks Specific requirements Part 11: Wireless LAN Medium Access Control (MAC) and Physical Layer (PHY) Specifications Amendment 5: Enhancements for Higher Throughput, October 29, Siemon white paper, Advantages of Using Siemon Shielded Cabling Systems to Power Remote Network Devices, ISO/IEC TR 24704, Information technology Customer premises cabling for wireless access points, July, TIA TSB-194-A, Telecommunications Cabling Guidelines for Wireless Access Points, November, APC, Five Things to Know about ac, May, Siemon white paper, IEEE 802.3at PoE Plus Operating Efficiency: How to Keep a Hot Application Running Cool, IEC , Connectors for Electronic Equipment Tests and Measurements Part : Test Schedule for Engaging and Separating Connectors Under Electrical Load Test 99A: Connectors Used in Twisted Pair Communication Cabling with Remote Power, 2012 WP_WiFi_C 6/14 Worldwide Headquarters North America Watertown, CT USA Phone (1) US Phone (1) Regional Headquarters EMEA Europe/Middle East/Africa Surrey, England Phone (44 ) Regional Headquarters Asia/Pacific Shanghai, P.R. China Phone (86) Regional Headquarters Latin America Bogota, Colombia Phone (571)

19 Advantages of Using Siemon Shielded Cabling Systems To Power Remote Network Devices Remote powering applications utilize the copper balanced twisted-pair IT cabling infrastructure to deliver dc power to IP-enabled devices. The popularity of this technology and the interest in expanding its capabilities is staggering. Consider: Over 100 million Power over Ethernet (PoE) enabled ports are shipping annually Cisco 60W Universal PoE (UPOE) technology is driving the adoption of virtual desktop infrastructure (VDI) and, when paired with Cisco s EnergyWise IOS-based intelligent energy management solution, supports using the IT network to monitor and control power consumption as well as turn devices on and off remotely to save power when the devices are not being used Published, but not yet commercially available, Power over HDBaseT (POH) 1 technology can deliver up to 100W over twisted-pair cable to support full HD digital video, audio, 100BASE-T, and control signals in television and display applications The IEEE Pair Power over Ethernet (PoE) Study Group has been formed to investigate developing a new remote powering application that will provide superior energy efficiency than a 2-pair application and expand the market for PoE systems. 17

20 SHIELDED CABLING ADVANTAGES In less than a decade, remote powering technology has revolutionized the look and feel of the IT world. Now, devices such as surveillance cameras, wireless access points, RFID readers, digital displays, IP phones, and other equipment all share network bandwidth that was once exclusively allocated for computers. It s common knowledge that the networking of remotely powered devices for autonomous data transmission and collection is driving the need for larger data center infrastructures and storage networks. However, many IT managers aren t aware that remote power delivery produces temperature rise in cable bundles and electrical arcing damage to connector contacts. Heat rise within bundles has the potential to cause higher bit errors because insertion loss is directly proportionate to temperature. In extreme environments, temperature rise and contact arcing can cause irreversible damage to cable and connectors. Fortunately, the proper selection of network cabling can completely eliminate these risks. Choosing qualified shielded category 6A and category 7 A cabling systems provides the following advantages that ensure a future-proof cabling infrastructure capable of supporting remote powering technology for a wide range of topologies and operating environments: Assurance that critical connecting hardware contact mating surfaces are not damaged when plugs and jacks are cycled under remote powering current loads Higher maximum operating temperature for IEEE Type 2 2 PoE Plus applications Fully compliant transmission performance for a wider range of channel configurations in environments having an ambient temperature greater than 20 C (68 F) An option to support remote powering currents up to 600mA applied to all four pairs and all networking applications up to and including 10GBASE-T in 70 C (158 F) environments over a full 4 connector, 100 meter channel topology Reliable and thermally stable patching solutions for converged zone cabling connections (e.g. device to horizontal connection point) in hot environments Protecting your connections Telecommunications modular plug and jack contacts are carefully engineered and plated (typically with gold or palladium) to ensure a reliable, low resistance mating surface. Today s remote powering applications offer some protection to these critical connection points by ensuring that dc power is not applied over the structured cabling plant until a remotely powered device (PD) is sensed by the power sourcing equipment (PSE). Unfortunately, unless the PD is shut off beforehand, the PSE will not discontinue power delivery if the modular plug-jack connection is disengaged. This condition, commonly referred to as, unmating under load, produces an arc as the applied current transitions from flowing through conductive metal to air before becoming an open circuit. While the current level associated with this arc poses no risk to humans, arcing creates an electrical breakdown of gases in the surrounding environment that results in corrosion and pitting damage on the plated contact surface at the arcing location. While it s important to remember that arcing and subsequent contact surface damage is unavoidable under certain mating and unmating conditions - contacts can be designed in such as way as to ensure that arcing will occur in the initial contact wipe area and not affect mating integrity in the final seated contact position. Figure 1 depicts an example of such a design that features a distinct make-first, break-last zone that is separated by at least 2mm from the fully mated contact zone on both the plug and outlet contacts. Note that any potential damage due to arcing will occur well away from the final contact mating position for this design.- Seated contact position Location of arc during unmating cycle Figure 1: Arc location in wipe area occurs outside of final seated Z-MAX contact position 18

21 To ensure reliable performance and contact integrity, Siemon recommends that only connecting hardware that is independently certified for compliance to IEC be used to support remote powering applications. This standard was specifically developed to ensure reliable connections for remote powering applications deployed over balanced twisted pair cabling. It specifies the maximum allowable resistance change that mated connections can exhibit after being subjected to 100 insertion and removal cycles under a load condition of 55V dc and 600mA applied to each of the eight separate plug/outlet connections. All Siemon Z-MAX and TERA connecting hardware has been certified by an independent test lab to be in full compliance with IEC Keeping it cool The standard ISO/IEC operating environment for structured cabling is -20 C to 60 C (-4 F to 140 F). Compliance to industry standards ensures reliable long term mechanical and electrical operation of cables and connectors in environments within these temperature limits. Exceeding the specified operating range can result in degradation of the jacket materials and loss of mechanical integrity that may have an irreversible effect on transmission performance that is not covered by a manufacturer s product warranty. Since deployment of certain remote powering applications can result in a temperature rise of up to 10 C (50 F) within bundled cables (refer to Table A.1 in TIA TSB and Table 1 in ISO/IEC TR ), the typical rule of thumb is to not install minimally compliant cables in environments above 50 C (122 F). 20ºC (68 F). The temperature dependence is different for unshielded and shielded cables and the de-rating coefficient for UTP cable is actually three times greater than shielded cable above 40 C (104 F) (refer to Annex G in ANSI/TIA- 568-C.2 7 and Table 21 in ISO/IEC 11801, 2nd edition 8 ). For example, at 60ºC (140 F), the standard-specified length reduction for category 6A UTP horizontal cables is 18 meters. In this case, the maximum permanent link length must be reduced from 90 meters to 72 meters to offset increased insertion loss due to temperature. For minimally compliant category 6A F/UTP horizontal cables, the length reduction is 7 meters at 60ºC (140 F), which means reducing maximum link length from 90 meters to 83 meters. The key takeaway is that shielded cabling systems have more stable transmission performance at elevated temperatures and are best suited to support remote powering applications and installation in hot environments. Siemon s category 6A and 7 A shielded cables exhibit extremely stable transmission performance at elevated temperatures and require less length reduction than specified by TIA and ISO/IEC standards to satisfy insertion loss requirements; thus, providing the cabling designer with significantly more flexibility to reach the largest number of work areas and devices in converged building environments. As shown in figure 2, the length reduction for Siemon 6A F/UTP horizontal cable at 60ºC (140 F) is 3 meters, which means reducing maximum link length from 90 meters to 87 meters. Furthermore, Siemon 6A F/UTP horizontal cable may be used to support remote powering currents up to SHIELDED CABLING ADVANTAGES This restriction can be problematic in regions such as the American southwest, the Middle East, or Australia s Northern Territory, where temperatures in enclosed ceiling, plenum, and riser shaft spaces can easily exceed 50 C (122 F). To overcome this obstacle, Siemon recommends the use of shielded category 6A and 7 A cables that are qualified for mechanical reliability up to 75 C (167 F). Not only do these cables inherently exhibit superior heat dissipation (refer to Siemon s white paper, IEEE at PoE Plus Operating Efficiency: How to Keep a Hot Application Running Cool 6 ), but they may be installed in high temperature environments up to the maximum 60 C (140 F) specified by TIA and ISO/IEC structured cabling standards without experiencing mechanical degradation caused by the combined effects of high temperature environments and heat build-up inside cable bundles due to remote power delivery. Maximizing reach Awareness of the amount of heat build-up inside the cable bundle due to remote power delivery is important because cable insertion loss increases (signals attenuate more) in proportion to temperature. The performance requirements specified in all industry standards are based on an operating temperature of 20 C. The temperature dependence of cables is recognized in cabling standards and both TIA and ISO specify an insertion loss de-rating factor for use in determining the maximum channel length at temperatures above Figure 2: Horizontal cable length de-rating versus temperature for application speeds up to 10GBASE-T 600mA applied to all four pairs up to 60ºC (140 F). In this case, the maximum link length must be reduced from 90 meters to 86 meters. Note that the TIA and ISO/IEC profiles from 60ºC to 70ºC (140 F to 150 F) are extrapolated assuming that the de-rating coefficients do not change and are provided for reference only. Due to their superior and stable insertion loss performance, Siemon s fully-shielded category 7 A cables do not require any length de-rating to support remote powering currents up to 600mA applied to all four pairs and all networking applications up to and including 10GBASE-T over a full 4-connector, 100-meter channel topology in environments up to 70 C (150 F)! 19

22 SHIELDED CABLING ADVANTAGES A better patching solution While TIA and ISO/IEC temperature dependence characterization focuses on the performance of solid conductor cables, it is well known that the stranded conductor cables used to construct patch cords exhibit significantly greater insertion loss rise due to elevated temperature than do solid conductor cables. To maximize flexibility and minimize disruptions when device moves, adds, and changes are made, a zoned cabling solution is the topology of choice for the building automation systems (BAS) most likely to take advantage of remote powering solutions. However, most BAS horizontal connection points in a zoned topology are located in the ceiling or in plenum spaces where high temperatures are most likely to be encountered. Fortunately, the risk of performance degradation due to elevated temperatures in zone cabling environments can be mitigated by using solid conductor cords for equipment connections. Equipment cords constructed from Siemon shielded category 6A solid conductor cable are recommended for support of remote powering applications in environments up to 60ºC (140 F) and equipment cords constructed from Siemon shielded category 7 A solid conductor cable are recommended for support of remote powering applications in environments up to 70ºC (150 F). The future of remote powering applications: The advent of remote powering technology has significantly increased the number of networked devices, with surveillance cameras, IP phones, and wireless access points driving the market for PoE chipsets today. As the PD market matures, new and emerging remote powering technology continues to evolve to support advanced applications, improved efficiency, and increased power delivery. Power over HDBaseT, UPOE, and the work of the IEEE Pair Power over Ethernet Study Group formed to investigate more efficient power injection schemes are enabling remote powering applications that will support new families of devices, such as lighting fixtures, high definition displays, digital signage, and point-of-sale (POS) devices that can consume more than 30W of power. All trends indicate that four pair power delivery is the future of remote powering technology. Choosing connectors and cables that are specifically designed to handle remote powering current loads, associated heat build-up, and contact arcing are important steps that can be taken to minimize the risk of component damage and transmission errors. Conclusions: As the market for remotely powered IP-devices grows and more advanced powering technology is developed, the ability of cables and connectors to operate in higher temperature environments and perform under dc load conditions will emerge as critical factors in the long term reliability of cabling infrastructure used to support PoE and other low voltage applications that deliver power over twisted-pairs. Fortunately, cabling products designed to operate under demanding environmental and remote powering conditions are already available today. Siemon s shielded category 6A and category 7 A cabling systems provide the following implementation advantages when deploying remote powering technology: Siemon s Z-MAX and TERA connecting hardware complies with IEC , which ensures that critical contact seating surfaces are not damaged when plugs and jacks are mated and unmated under remote powering current loads Siemon s Z-MAX shielded category 6A and TERA category 7 A cabling solutions support the IEEE Type 2 PoE Plus application over the entire ISO/IEC operating temperature range of -20 C to 60 C (-4 F to 140 F) Siemon s Z-MAX shielded category 6A cabling solutions require less than one-fifth the length de rating than minimally compliant category 6A UTP cables at 60 C (140 F) Siemon s TERA category 7 A cabling solutions support data rates up to at least 10GBASE-T in 70 C (150 F) environments over a full 4-connector, 100-meter channel topology - no length de-rating required Siemon s shielded category 6A and 7 A solid equipment cords are uniquely capable of maintaining highly reliable and stable performance with no mechanical degradation when used for converged zone cabling connections in hot environments. References: 1 HDBaseT Alliance, Power Over HDBaseT Addendum to the HDBaseT 1.0 Specification, IEEE Std , IEEE Standard for Ethernet, IEC , Connectors for Electronic Equipment - Tests and Measurements - Part : Test Schedule for Engaging and Separating Connectors Under Electrical Load - Test 99A: Connectors Used in Twisted Pair Communication Cabling with Remote Power, TIA TSB-184, Guidelines for Supporting Power Delivery Over Balanced Twisted-Pair Cabling, ISO/IEC TR 29125, Information Technology Telecommunications Cabling Requirements for Remote Powering of Terminal Equipment, Siemon white paper, IEEE 802.3at PoE Plus Operating Efficiency: How to Keep a Hot Application Running Cool, ANSI/TIA-568-C.2, Balanced Twisted-Pair Telecommunications Cabling and Components Standards, ISO/IEC 11801, 2nd edition, Information technology Generic cabling for customer premises, 2002 WP_ShieldAdv_ Rev. 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